412 



IOWA. 



favorable climatic influences, caused very heavy 

 losses to this crop. There was also a short 

 crop of oats, owing to rust and a wet season. 

 The product was about twenty bushels per 

 acre from 1,000,000 acres. The rye- crop was 

 injured by bad weather, and reached the ag- 

 gregate of 360,000 bushels, or about 70,000 

 less than in 1875. The yield of barley de- 

 creased twelve per cent. About 90,000 acres 

 were planted with potatoes, and the yield was 

 8,000,000 bushels. The hay-crop amounted to 

 1,500,000 tons. 



SEAL OP THE STATE OF IOWA. 



The sixteenth General Assembly of Iowa 

 began its session at Des Moines on the 10th 

 of January, and continued it fully sixty-seven 

 days. On the second day Samuel J. Kirk- 

 wood was inaugurated Governor of the State, 

 and a few days later was chosen United 

 States Senator for the term of six years, be- 

 ginning March 4, 1877. Mr. Kirkwood was 

 born in Harford County, Md., in 1815, and at- 

 tended school in Washington, D. C., in his 

 youth. From the age of fourteen to twenty- 

 one he was an apothecary's clerk, but on com- 

 ing of age emigrated to Richmond County, 

 Ohio, where he studied law, and attained con- 

 siderable success in its practice. He was a 

 delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 

 Ohio in 1851, and a member of its Committee 

 on the Judiciary. In 1852 he went to Iowa, 

 and settled in Johnson County, where he en- 

 gaged in the business of fanning and milling. 

 He was elected to the State Senate in 1856, 

 and in 1859 was chosen Governor of the State 

 as the candidate of the Republican party. He 

 held the office four years, and became known 

 as the " War Governor " of Iowa. In raising 

 and equipping forty-eight regiments for the 

 Union service, he managed so prudently and 

 efficiently that a debt of only $300,000 was 

 incurred. In 1866 he was chosen to the Unit- 

 ed States Senate, to fill an unexpired term, 

 but two years later was defeated as a candi- 

 date for the full term, ex -Governor Harlan 

 being chosen. Latterly he has lived at Iowa 

 City, actively engaged in private business. He 

 was elected Governor in 1875 for the third time. 



There was little legislation of importance 

 during the session, and the subjects which oc- 

 cupied the largest share of attention were final- 

 ly left where they were found. Vigorous efforts 

 were made to secure a repeal of the railroad 

 law of 1874. Its opponents maintained that 

 it was crippling the railroads of the State and 

 damaging the material interests of the people, 

 and declared that it had already forced several 

 companies into bankruptcy. On the other 

 hand, it was shown that the gross receipts of 

 railroads had increased under the law, and 

 that new lines had been constructed, and it 

 was contended that the bankruptcy of certain 

 companies had been due to bad management, 

 and would have occurred if the law had not 

 existed. Two different bills were introduced, 

 making important modifications in the law, 

 but after protracted discussion they were both 

 defeated. The only action taken in reference 

 to the matter was the passage of an "amnesty 

 act," in favor of companies which should file a 

 bond to comply with the law in future. With 

 regard to the working of the present law and 

 the advisability of repealing it, a majority of 

 the Senate committee, to which the matter was 

 referred, reported as follows : 



We have examined into the workings of said law 

 as far as it has been complied with, and are satisfied 

 our people have been benefited by it, the interest 

 of the State advanced, and can find many reasons 

 why said law should be retained upon our statute- 

 books. 



While some of the railroads have complied with 

 the law, others liave refused to obey it and are fight- 

 ing it step by step through the courts to the highest 

 judicial tribunal in the land; the courts below have 

 affirmed the constitutionality of its provisions and we 

 anticipate a similar decision from the United States 

 Supreme Court. This we regard as one great point 

 gained in favor of the law. We find the law has 

 reduced rates largely ; has wiped out the unjust dis- 

 criminations and extortions that existed throughout 

 the State prior to its passage ; it has opened up 

 markets within the State for our products, facilitated 

 the interchange of commodities at home, fostered the 

 building up of manufactories at different points, 

 aided the development of our agricultural resources, 

 and is operating largely in favor of Iowa and Iowa 

 people. Not a petition for repeal from our constit- 

 uents has reached us, and we believe our people are 

 content with the law and desire to have jt thorough- 

 ly tested. 



The railroads of the State claim that the law re- 

 duced their rates on freight largely, but, as far as 

 your committee is aware,, do not ask amendments: 

 they desire the unconditional repeal of the law as far 

 as freight rates are concerned, opposing any and 

 all legislation, and asking to be "let alone" unre- 

 stricted. 



If the railroads desire amendments made to the 

 law now in force, removing restrictions that should 

 not exist, or in regard to rigr.ts which they claim have 

 been infringed upon by past legislation, they are re- 

 spectfully requested to make known_to your com- 

 mittee their grievances, in order that justice may be 

 done and wrongs remedied. 



A bill to repeal the act abolishing capital 

 punishment passed the House, but was de- 

 feated in the Senate by one vote. The amend- 

 ment of the constitution proposed by the pre- 

 vious Legislature, striking the word " male " 



